The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[Alex]

I suspect it is wrong in this particular case because the people engaging in the activity likely would not consider it a two-way street. I somehow doubt that if I burned a big stack of Bibles to show how evil I think Evangelical Christianity is that they'd say "well, that's his right and we're ok with him expressing it in this way."

I think it is wrong because their public display of hate of Islam is uncouth (that is, it isn't necessarily a moral wrong, just a social wrong; in other words it is wrong in the way that being needlessly impolite is wrong).

It is not, however, deeply wrong simply because Muslims will be offended (as well as various people who will be offended on behalf of Muslims) so long as none of the Qurans being torched have artifactual value. The ideal response from those who would be offended is not offense but rather going on TV, collectively shrugging their shoulders and saying "well, stupid is as stupid does."